to tape my birth certificate and passport to my head !?!?!

[thenwookieeme]

I have a accent, as a lot of people do, I am from Barbados. I also happen to be white.

I am sort of use to the looks I get in the UK now.

But today was the icing on the cake.

I was informed that I have had a formal complaint made against me.

The person who made this complaint I met last week. He is/was a (new) client and we were meeting for the first time in my office.

Anyway when we started our meeting, he stops me and says that 'would you mind not talking like that'
I was shocked and said that I was sorry if my accent was too thick.
He looks at me but carries on.

Anyway this formal complaint is based on 'racist behaviour' and 'racial-stereotypying by use of accent mimmicing'

My managers and HR have told me not to worry at all.

But really?!?!

I am fed up of the looks I get
The questioning of where I am from
People asking me to talk 'normally'
and the classic 'you are really good at accents.'

So as of tomorrow my birth certificate and passport are being taped to my head, A Barbados flag will be sown to my coat and bag, I will hang the flag in my car.

I thought it was common knowledge that there were lots of white Barbadians? Isn't Jodie Kidd from Barbados? The West Indies were British colonies so it would make sense that there would be lots of white people. I'm mixed race (part Jamaican) and there are lots of white, Middle Eastener's and Asians there. In fact the main slogan of Jamaica is 'Out of Many, One People'. The West Indies are very mixed countries and there isn't much racial tension.

It's very weird but you'd be surprised how little many people in the UK, including those who actually descend from WI know about that region.

The fake Jamaican/WI accent the youth of today sopeak, makes me sick. My ex partner is Black and he didn't approve of it either. His parents are from St Thomas and had an authentic accent. His accent was slight Midlands. I don't get why it is so popular and seen as cool for anyone Black or White, when they are born here and so are their parents or even their Grandparents these days. it sounds rediculous.

Interestingly my vet friend came over for lunch yesterday & joked they may move to Barbados as there's much Polo & Equestrianism there & I commented that the girls would end up with a Bajan accent & everyone would think they were taking the piss - I may show her this thread.

But yes, if your client thought you were mimicking or taking the piss in some way he is the one who needs to have a word with himself. I wouldn't worry about it.

I think the op is overreacting.

you want to try being a scouser for a while

That radio DJ, Tim Westwood... does anyone know where he's from? Because he really sounds odd considering he's a white guy.

I worked with some lovely Jamaican women (all black) and can't say I've ever heard the same accent from a white person and prior to reading this thread I think I would assume they were trying to be Jamaican and not actually from that country. Now I'd be a bit more cautious!

See my accent is unurusl and I would not think to explain where it is from , even if someone was struggling would apolgise for it but unless asked politely would not explain where it is from as automatic thing

Hope the guy that complained feels like a right idiot , guess it's reverse racism

So my friends White eighteen year old DS who talks Jamaican/WI style street accent whom I know was born in Birmingham and has lived across the road from me for 18 years MIGHT have been born in Jamaica/WI or lived the majority of his liufe there when it is gfact that he has not!

I think your statement is somewhar flawed boom

This thread reminds me of when Beverly Hills 90210 first came out and my friends and I pretended we were American for ages because we thought it was cool

A formal complaint could have caused you a lot of trouble so I don't think you are over-reacting at all. This man didn't just make an honest mistake; he went to some length to get you into trouble before checking his facts.

CailinDana: I have got the american thing as well. I'm from the Midlands; Offaly an out and out culchie me!

The DJ Tim Westwood is upper Middle Class English. His father was the Anglican bishop of Peterborough.

His accent is, indeed, Jafacian

Difficult.

If I met a black person in Barbados with a British accent, I think my response would be to assume/ask the person if they grew up in Britain, rather than assume they were taking the piss.

That said, there is probably greater cultural awareness of there being Black Britons than White Bajans.

I suppose the only parallel I can think of is with Anglo-Indians who remained in India after independence in 1947. If I met a white person speaking with an Indian accent, I would probably (wrongly) think they were taking the piss. Especially if I were black/asian and had routinely experienced white people doing parodies of Indian/Caribbean accents.

Tim Westwood is from Lowestoft. He doesn't sound like he is trying to sound Jamaican, but he does sound like a bit of an idiot. It's definitely an English accent, but he is trying to sound more "street", not necessarily Jamaican. He sends it up.

I've met plenty of Asian and Black people takie the piss out of British accents too.

I can't say I've ever met anyone inside of the UK taking the piss out of British accents.

In reality or for the sake of the internet? boom

Scousers take the piss out of manc accents all the time and cockney accents are bread and butter for comedy writers and performers.

We as a nation are obsessed comedy wise with accents.